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 With no quorum, the group was unable to vote on any of the items
on the agenda. However, the directors did discuss agenda items, and
as they progressed, Jachino instructed tourism director Maggie
McMurtrey to conduct email voting on some issues so they would not
have to be delayed until the August meeting.
The email voting was conducted that same week, and on Thursday, July
23rd, McMurtrey notified the press of the items voted upon and the
final result.
Bureau approves moving forward with Tropics sign restoration
At the monthly meeting, Jachino said she didn’t want to delay a
decision on this issue for another month. McMurtrey was to conduct a
vote via email.
The bureau directors present reviewed recent changes and amendments
to the Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Lincoln, the
Johnson/Goodrich Family, and the Bureau.
It was noted that the Bureau will take the lead on the restoration
project, but will do so with a separate committee that will report
back to the Bureau as they make progress on the project. It was also
noted that once the sign is restored, the Bureau will have to find a
home for it. Among the items discussed, the parties involved don’t
want to put the sign “up in the air.” They want the new location to
be tourist accessible, and for the sign to be mounted
low-to-the-ground so folks can stand in front of it for photos.
 On Thursday, McMurtrey sent out the following message: “Chairman
Jean Bruner-Jachino voiced her support for the approval of the
Memorandum and stated that we should "move ahead with the process."
Ron Keller motioned to approve the Memorandum and Kristi Powell
seconded the motion.”
The email vote resulted in a unanimous approval.
Bureau awards $1,000 to Abraham Lincoln National Railsplitting
Festival
Darlene Begolka was on hand to make a request for $1,000 to
advertise for the Abraham Lincoln National Railsplitting Festival to
be held in September. The dates for the festival this year are
September 18, 19 and 20. Begolka said the money if granted, would be
divided into two groups. The Logan County Railsplitter Association,
which puts on the festival each year, plans to spend approximately
$200 on flyers to be sent out to various locations. The balance of
the request will be spent on advertising outside of Logan County.
Begolka shared that the Association is working to come up with new
ideas to draw in younger audiences. This year, she said the Civil
War Ball would be held on Friday the 18th as the kick-off to the
festival. There is a change of venue for the ball, as Begolka said
this year it would be held at the American Legion in Lincoln.
After the ball at the Legion, a new activity will be added, Cosmic
Bowling, right next door at Logan Lanes. Begolka said that event
would be held from 10 p.m. to midnight.
On Saturday, the festival will offer the traditional Pioneer Village
and other activities throughout the day. New to the Saturday line-up
will be a live concert in the evening featuring EmiSunshine.
Her stage name is EmiSunshine with no spaces. In the real world, she
is Emilie Sunshine Hamilton, a 10-year old, born and growing up in
the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee. She is a vocalist as well as
an instrumentalist and songwriter. According to her website “she
sings 'old-time music,' but it’s her own unique blend of roots music
that is equal parts Americana, bluegrass, gospel, and country, with
a little bit of blues thrown in for good measure.”
EmiSunshine has appeared on national television on the Today Show
and has been a guest at the Grand Ole Opry as well as Nashville’s
historic Ryman Auditorium.
Begolka said another change to the festival this year is that the
Association is partnering with the Oasis Senior Center in Lincoln
for the craft show. The Oasis will coordinate that event, and
Begolka is optimistic that the offerings this year will meet and
exceed past years. Finally, she said the Association has a new
website. Those who wish to learn more about the Festival might want
to visit http://www.rails
plitting.com/.
Begolka was asked if she felt that the festival fulfills the
requirements of heads in beds, and she said she did. She noted that
the festival doesn’t bring in as many people as some of the other
summertime events in Lincoln, but contestants for the National
Competition on Sunday do travel quite a distance to participate.
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 She also noted that EmiSunshine has a following of
her own, and festival planners are hopeful that she will bring new
visitors to the Festival. Regarding EmiSunshine, Begolka added that
the day ticket to the festival would include admission to the
concert, so it will still be a very affordable family event in
Lincoln.
McMurtrey was instructed to do an email vote on this item.
On Thursday, McMurtrey offered the following information regarding
the request for funding for the festival: “Abraham Lincoln National
Railsplitting Festival was awarded a $1,000 promotional grant.
Kristi Powell motioned to grant the group the funds requested, and
Ron Keller seconded the motion that carried.”
No 1800’s Craft Fair this year
In connection with the Railsplitter Festival, McMurtrey advised the
council that there will be no 1800’s Craft Fair at the Postville
Courthouse this year. With the expansion of the Lincoln Art and
Balloon Festival to different weekends, the Craft Fair was slated to
go on at the same time as the Railsplitting Festival. However,
McMurtrey said she had talked with Stu Churchill, the site manager
at Postville, and he had said it would not happen this year.
McMurtrey said there was not enough money nor enough volunteers for
the event to take place.
The Mill withdraws request for funding
McMurtrey reported that she had talked with Bob Wilmert regarding
the request for funding for the Mill on Route 66. Wilmert had
requested dollars for advertising for the Mill at the June meeting.
After he had left the meeting the council discussed the request and
decided they wanted McMurtrey to talk to Wilmert and get a marketing
plan for the funds requested.
McMurtrey said when she returned to Wilmert with the request for
more information from the Mill, he withdrew his request for funding
and said they would not be re-applying.
Other News
In other news, Jachino spoke about a group that stops annually at
the Hampton Inn in Lincoln. She said the Ride for Relay takes place
on Labor Day weekend. It starts at Navy Pier in Chicago and the
motorcyclists ride Route 66 to California. They typically stop for
the night in Lincoln. Jachino said she’d like people from Lincoln
and the Bureau to come on Saturday, September 5th between 3 p.m. and
4 p.m. to welcome the group to town.
McMurtrey shared that the Bureau has been invited by the Looking for
Lincoln Association to represent Logan County at the State Fair this
year. She said the Association had said that she could come as a
volunteer and also bring information about tourism in Logan County.
She plans to attend personally, and will work the two Friday’s of
the State Fair.
McMurtrey said she had also just recently learned that the kiosk on
the Logan County Courthouse lawn is the responsibility of the
Tourism Bureau. She said she had visited the Kiosk and noted some
items were out of date. She plans to put together new information
for the kiosk soon.
McMurtrey had also attended the first Advisory Committee on Tourism
hosted by Representative Tim Butler. She noted that Butler is on the
Illinois Tourism Committee and is very interested in promoting all
tourism in the state.
Finally, the Bureau will have a booth at the Logan County Fair as
well as the Balloon Festival in late August. Sign-up sheets were
passed around for Bureau directors to commit to volunteering in the
booth at both events.
The next meeting of the Logan County Tourism Bureau will be held on
Monday, August 17th.
[Nila Smith]
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